English Department Members:

Carin Johnson-Kragler (Co-Chair)
Pam Porter (Co-Chair)

Danielle Barese
George Castagnola
Laura Malcolm
Carin Johnson
Bill Olzman
Coleen Pettis
Ginger Riley
Lynn Stewart
Steve Sumner
John Thomas
Nancy Garcia

Senior Project page

Graduation Requirements: 40 credits and a passing score on the English portion of the CHSEE.

ENGLISH I (P)

Grade 9 1 Year

This course is for entering ninth grade, college preparatory students. It will help students’ understanding of literature. They will read texts covering five genres: short story, non-fiction, poetry, novels, and drama. Students will analyze recurrent patterns and themes in historically or culturally significant works. They will read at least two books outside of class per semester and respond with a book report/summary, character analysis, and an original project. Students will gain skills necessary for competent writing and reading by focusing in the mechanics of language, vocabulary development and directed reading and writing. They will complete a variety of writing activities, including compare and contrast, narrative, expository, persuasive, autobiographical, evaluative, informational, and descriptive writing that demonstrates organization and drafting strategies. They will respond orally and in writing to the literature in all genres.

INTEGRATED ENGLISH I/HUMANITIES (P)

Grade 9 1 Year

This includes freshmen level English IA, and geography/humanities and health. Integrated Humanities is a one-year course that is double-blocked. The integrated humanities course is not limited to the arts of literature, painting, music, sculpture, architecture, performing arts, and the discipline of philosophy. While the sciences explore the physical world and the social sciences make discoveries about the behavior and activities of various groups of people, the arts and humanities probe the inner meaning “What does it mean to be human?” This course will stretch the students’ imaginations, enrich their experience, and increase their distinctively human potential. Study of literature, arts, health, and social science will cover cultural diversity ways of life, human interests, and value. Lessons are drawn from classical texts of western and non-western cultures. Selections from literature and arts include major forms of expression and offer students modes of learning no other discipline provides. In the first semester the course explores world diversity. In the second semester the course concentrates on the development of Western cultures.

ENGLISH I AND ENGLISH I (TITLE 1)

Grade 9 1 Year

This course is for entering ninth grade students whose skills are below grade level. It will help students’ understanding of literature. They will read texts covering five genres: short story, non-fiction, poetry, novels, and drama. Students will analyze recurrent patterns and themes in historically or culturally significant works. They will read one or more books outside of class and respond with a book report/summary, character analysis, and an original project. Students will gain skills necessary for competent writing and reading by focusing in the mechanics of language, vocabulary development and directed reading and writing. They will complete a variety of writing activities, including compare and contrast, narrative, expository, persuasive, autobiographical, evaluative, informational, and descriptive writing that demonstrates organization and drafting strategies. They will respond orally and in writing to the literature in all genres.

ENGLISH II (P)

Grade 10 1 Year

This course is for tenth grade students who have successfully completed English 1. Students will read the short story, non-fiction, poetry, drama, legends, and novel and will analyze recurrent patterns and themes in historically or culturally significant works. They will read at least two novels as a class and respond with a book report/summary, character analysis, journal, or captioned illustration. Additionally, students will read at least 2 novels of their own choice and keep a reading log. Students will gain skills necessary for competent writing and reading by focusing on the mechanics of language, vocabulary development and directed reading and writing. They will complete a variety of writing activities, including narrative, expository, persuasive, informational, and descriptive writing that demonstrates research, organization, and drafting strategies. They will respond orally to the literature in all genres and complete a creative writing project.

ENGLISH II (P) (ACC)

Grade 10 1 Year

This is an accelerated sophomore English class to prepare higher level students for junior and senior college level courses and to offer students a challenging curriculum. This world literature is studies at a higher level. Focus is on analytical and critical thinking skills as well as written literary and stylistic analysis. An intensive study of the English language including linguistics, etomology, and root vocabulary as well as intensive strategies of writing, timed writings, rhetorical modes of writing in varying formats, literary analyses, critical comparative essays, claim-evidence-warrant persuasive essays and a research paper will be emphasized.

ENGLISH II and ENGLISH II (I)

Grade 10 1 Year

This course is for tenth grade students who have successfully completed English I(P), but did not make a “C” or better in that course. English II will focus more on basic skills in the areas of vocabulary development, reading and writing than the II(P) class. To make room for additional time spent on basic skills, students will often read abbreviated versions of longer texts, or excerpts from longer texts. Students will read the short story, non-fiction, poetry, drama, legends, and novel and will analyze recurrent patterns and themes in historically or culturally significant works. They will read at least two novels as a class and respond with a book report/summary, character analysis, journal, or captioned illustration. Additionally, students will read at least 2 novels of their own choice and keep a reading log. Students will gain skills necessary for competent writing and reading by focusing on the mechanics of language, vocabulary development and directed reading and writing. They will complete a variety of writing activities, including narrative, expository, persuasive, informational, and descriptive writing that demonstrates research, organization, and drafting strategies. They will respond orally to the literature in all genres and complete a creative writing project.

ENGLISH III (P)

Grade 11 1 Year

This is a comprehensive course designed to develop the full range skills- speaking, reading, writing, spelling and listening. Students will be introduced to the study of American literature. Writing and analyzing literature will be the main emphasis of this course. Incorporated into the writing will be vocabulary enrichment as well as a variety of writing styles and techniques. Grammar studied will be discussed in relation to improving writing skills. The literature studied enables the student to analyze the subject or theme of a work. The literature will also be analyzed for the recognition of theme, symbolism, tone, and reflection of the historical significance of any given work. To reach the state standard of “2 million words on their own” by 12th grade, students will read 3 novels of their own choice per semester and complete some form of response.

ENGLISH III (AP)

Grade 11 1 Year

AP Language and Composition is a college level course, and students can, by good performance on the Advanced Placement Examination, obtain college credit and/or advanced placement in college composition. This course is a challenging, academically rigorous course that is beneficial not only in terms of college credit or placement but also in terms of intellectual growth. Based upon classical rhetoric, AP Language and Composition features instruction in critical reading and analytical writing from various modes, such as persuasive, expository and narrative. Additionally, by studying examples of prose form various fields and periods, primarily in American literature, students gain an understanding of the principles of effective writing and become effective writers themselves. Finally, the organized study of the structures of sentences, paragraphs, and larger discursive patterns introduces student to the semantic, structural and rhetorical resources of the language.

ENGLISH III and ENGLISH III (I)

Grade 11 1 Year

The non-college prep class will pay particular attention to basic skills in the areas of vocabulary development, reading and writing. To make room for additional time spent on basic skills, students will often read abbreviated versions of longer texts, or excerpts from longer texts.

ENGLISH IV (P)

Grade 12 1 Year

This is a core English class for twelfth grade students. Students will read British literature from the Anglo-Saxon period to the present covering various literary genre. They will trace the historical development of English literature and the growth of the English language through intellectual, historical, and social developments. Students will improve their writing skills, including informal and formal essays. They will increase their vocabulary development, work on analysis and reasoning skills, and research techniques. They will complete a variety of writing activities, including narrative, expository, persuasive, informational, and descriptive writing that demonstrates research, organization, and drafting strategies. They will respond orally to the literature in all genres. They will complete at least one creative writing project or term paper. All Seniors will complete a “Senior Project” culminating in a professional portfolio, analytical paper, and professional presentation.

ENGLISH IV (AP)

Grade 12 1 Year

Advanced Placement English is a college-level English class which takes more time, requires more work, and gives greater opportunity for individual accomplishment than a regular high school English class. At the conclusion of the course, successful students will be able to write a lucid essay in a timed-writing situation on an unfamiliar piece of repertoire of selected novels and dramas from world literature upon which to draw and answer to an essay question posed on the Advanced Placement Examinations in English.

ENGLISH IV

Grade 12 1 Year

This is a core English class for twelfth grade students. Students will read British literature from the Anglo-Saxon period to the present covering various literary genre. They will trace the historical development of English literature and the growth of the English language through intellectual, historical, and social developments. Students will improve their writing skills, including informal and formal essays. They will increase their vocabulary development, work on analysis and reasoning skills, and research techniques. They will complete a variety of writing activities, including narrative, expository, persuasive, informational, and descriptive writing that demonstrates research, organization, and drafting strategies. They will respond orally to the literature in all genres. They will complete at least one creative writing project or term paper. The non college prep class will pay particular attention to basic skills in the areas of vocabulary development, reading and writing. To make room for additional time spent on basic skills, students will often read abbreviated versions of longer texts, or excepts from longer texts. All non-prep students will complete a research based senior project paper and presentation before classmates.

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL) 1

Grades 9-12 1 Year

ESL classes are for students tested as Limited-English-Proficient. This class is for students of beginning English language proficiency. Basic elements of English are taught with stress on listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL) 2

Grades 9-12 1 Year

The ESL 2 class is for advanced beginners with a knowledge of basic vocabulary and grammar. Emphasis is on listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL) 3

Grades 9-12 1 Year

The ESL 3 class is for students on an intermediate level in learning English. They are already comfortable in the use of present, past, and future tenses, know how to form questions and negatives, and know the proper use of most prepositions and the various types of pronouns. They are able to communicate orally in English although they may be shy to do so. The class emphasizes listening, speaking, and grammar. Students in ESL 3 will also be enrolled in ELD Reading/Writing Workshop.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT (ELD)/READING/WRITING WORKSHOP

Grades 9-12 1-4 Years (as needed)

The ELD Reading/Writing/Workshop is for intermediate and advanced English Learners. In a writing workshop setting students write about their cultures and experiences. Reading and speaking are built around discussion of book and short story selections.

ESL LAB As Needed

Grades 9-12

An additional section of ESL for students in ESL 1 and ESL 2. The lab offers individualized work on grammar, vocabulary, and reading.